The first part of the Kotor – Lovćen Cable Car project, on the Dub-Kuk route, will enrich the offer of tourist attractions in Montenegro already during the upcoming tourist season, announced the President of the Municipality of Kotor, Vladimir Jokić.
We expect that the Kotor – Lovćen Cable Car will start operating on July 13, the National Day, and we are fully engaged in order to implement the plan within the stipulated time – Jokić points out.
On the planned route that starts from the locality of Dub within the Grbaljsko polje and leads to the final station Kuk at an altitude of 1,348 meters, the final works on the adjustment of the elements of the cable car are currently underway.
Pillars and rope have been installed, while construction and craft works on the facilities at the entrance and exit station are in progress – explains Jokić. The cable car will be 3,918 meters long, with 48 gondolas with a capacity of 1,200 passengers per hour. Visitors will climb to 1,350 meters above sea level in 11 minutes, which promises a stunning view of the Bay of Kotor.
The way Boka and Lovćen unfold before you will not leave anyone indifferent. We have no doubt that there will be more demand for gondolas this summer – emphasizes the President of the Municipality of Kotor.
Given that the cable car that connects the city under UNESCO protection and the Lovćen National Park is a curiosity not only in terms of the infrastructural complexity of the project, but also in terms of the localities it connects and whose natural and cultural authenticity is widely recognized, as stated by Jokić, the pricing policy will be harmonized with price standards for tourist services of this type, with an effort to be accessible to visitors at the same time.
At this stage of project development, we can point out that special attention is paid to the formation of offers for certain groups of visitors, in accordance with the general direction of applying the best practices for this type of tourist attractions – he explains.
Thanks to the attractive building that is being built by the Leitner – Novi Volvox consortium, special emphasis will be placed on the cultural and historical richness of the tourist offer in the territory of the municipalities of Kotor and Cetinje.
In addition to the natural beauty of one of the five national parks in Montenegro, in the center of which is the Njegoš Mausoleum, which is an inevitably attractive tourist destination, the cable car ride will give visitors the opportunity to take an interest in the fortresses on the hills above the Bay of Kotor, which will be only part of the spectrum, landscape visible while driving.
The complex of Austro-Hungarian fortifications Vrmac, Goražda, Trojica, built in the second half of the 19th century, once served military-strategic purposes, and today, with their isolation and abandonment to nature, they bear witness to historical moments and attract the attention of many interested fans of researching archaeological remains.
According to the President of the Municipality of Kotor, the attractiveness of the project causes significant interest of tourist agencies in organizing tours that include the cable car exclusively or include it as part of a wider offer.
When it comes to the ticket sales system, sales will be organized at ticket offices at the lower and upper stations, ticket machines and, of course, online sales, which will be given special emphasis in terms of promotion – he states and adds that the systems being implemented are related to for all segments of the project aligned with the most modern standards in the field of service-tourism activities.
Improving the tourism offer of Montenegro and contributing to a better redistribution of profits made in the tourism sector are the leading indicators of the success of the Kotor – Lovćen Cable Car project from the aspect of benefits that the state will enjoy.
Guided by the premise that this venture will bring benefits not only to Kotor and Cetinje, but also to the whole of Montenegro, the President of the Municipality of Kotor Vladimir Jokić believes that the cable car will contribute to a positive economic effect on the entire region.
Foreign and domestic visitors will have a unique view of the bay, fast ecological transport from Kotor to Lovćen, and they will have access to many facilities and restaurants that will enrich the entire complex. The construction of the cable car will avoid significant use of the old road over Njeguši, which will contribute to its better preservation, as well as reducing pollution due to the lower amount of harmful gases emitted by cars – he says.
The construction of new service facilities within the complex of the Dub – Kuk route will also require the creation of new jobs, which, according to Vladimir Jokić, is another benefit in the implementation of the project.
I believe that the cable car will have a positive impact on local food and beverage producers – he comments. Apart from the benefits related to the expansion of the tourist and catering offer, not only for the area of Kotor and Cetinje, but for the entire Boka and beyond, Jokić also emphasizes the financial aspect and positive effects in the part of the concession fee, which, according to the contract, Žičara is obliged to pay to the state.
The safety system of the cable car, as an important segment of the project, is controlled by the company Leitner, with a long tradition in the field of implementation of the “ropeway” system (passenger transportation system by gondolas).
Products and components are certified according to international and European standards and directives, with a note that in the “safety” part of the certification, they go a step further than what is prescribed by law. The fact that the complete equipment of the Kotor – Lovćen Cable Car was produced by Leitner, with the ownership participation of this company in the project, which additionally confirms the successful perspective, speaks volumes about the high level of quality and standards that have been applied – explains the President of the Municipality of Kotor.
The continuation of work on the project is planned immediately after the first route is put into operation.
The consortium implementing the Kotor-Lovćen cable car project expressed its readiness to discuss the modalities of the continuation of the investment, which would also include the section to the Capital, as well as to support the Capital and the state in the implementation of this complex project – concludes Jokić.
